Pacific Islands Biodiversity
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Pacific Islands Biodiversity
The islands of the Pacific contain some of the world's most distinctive biological communities. Their isolation has encouraged the evolution of species found nowhere else, while their surrounding seas support coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, pelagic ecosystems, deep-sea habitats, seabird colonies, marine mammals and extensive fisheries. At the same time, the small size and isolation of many islands make their ecosystems unusually vulnerable to invasive species, habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, overexploitation and other disturbances.
Pacific biodiversity is closely connected with the cultures, livelihoods and food systems of island communities. Forests protect watersheds, coral reefs support fisheries, mangroves buffer coasts, and healthy terrestrial ecosystems can help sustain neighboring marine environments. Traditional ecological knowledge and customary systems of resource management remain important elements of conservation throughout much of the region.
The conservation challenge is therefore not simply to protect individual species. It is increasingly understood as a regional effort to maintain interconnected ecological and cultural systems extending from mountain forests and freshwater streams to reefs and the open ocean.
Exceptional Island Biodiversity and Endemism
Geographic isolation has produced extraordinary levels of endemism across the Pacific. Many islands contain birds, reptiles, land snails, plants, freshwater fishes and other organisms whose entire global distributions may be confined to a single island or archipelago.
Hawaiʻi, New Caledonia, Fiji, Palau, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and other Pacific areas contain particularly important concentrations of endemic biodiversity. New Caledonia has an exceptionally distinctive flora and reef system, while Hawaiʻi is noted for evolutionary radiations of birds, plants and invertebrates. The Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea contain extensive tropical forests supporting large numbers of endemic species.
This biological uniqueness also creates vulnerability. A species restricted to one mountain range, island forest or reef system can lose a large portion of its global population from a relatively localized disturbance.
Regional assessments have repeatedly identified invasive species, habitat degradation, climate change, overharvesting and limited conservation resources as major pressures on these highly localized species.
Coral Reefs and Marine Biodiversity
Marine ecosystems are among the defining features of Pacific biodiversity. Coral reefs provide habitat for fishes, sharks, rays, mollusks, crustaceans, sea turtles and countless smaller organisms. Reefs are connected with mangroves, seagrass beds, lagoons, reef passages, coastal waters and the open ocean.
Research across Fiji, Palau, New Caledonia, American Samoa and other island groups shows that reef condition varies with fishing pressure, pollution, water quality, habitat structure, climate exposure and management. Well-designed marine protected areas can increase fish biomass and protect ecological processes, although effectiveness depends on factors such as reserve size, habitat, age, enforcement and community support.
Palau has become an important center of coral-reef monitoring and restoration research. Recent work includes coral propagation, production of coral juveniles, environmental-DNA studies and climate-smart restoration methods.
New Caledonia's lagoons are internationally recognized for exceptional reef diversity and associated ecosystems including mangroves, seagrasses and dugong habitat. The Phoenix Islands Protected Area in Kiribati similarly protects an enormous expanse of relatively intact oceanic habitat.
French Polynesia has also expanded large-scale marine protection, including areas around the Austral and Marquesas Islands. Such initiatives illustrate a broader Pacific movement toward conserving large marine areas while attempting to maintain fisheries, cultural practices and local livelihoods.
Forests, Freshwater, Mangroves and Island Ecosystems
Although Pacific conservation is often associated with coral reefs, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems are equally important.
Pacific forests contain highly endemic plants, birds, reptiles and invertebrates. They also protect watersheds, reduce erosion and influence downstream coastal ecosystems. Forest degradation can therefore affect both terrestrial biodiversity and coral reefs.
Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands retain some of the region's largest tropical forest landscapes. Infrastructure expansion, logging, land conversion and other development pressures can fragment these habitats and threaten biodiversity.
Mangroves provide another important ecological connection between land and sea. They serve as nursery habitat, stabilize shorelines, store carbon and provide resources for coastal communities. Their future is influenced by sea-level rise, sediment supply, land use and catchment management.
Freshwater ecosystems on islands can be particularly vulnerable because many occupy very small geographic areas. Studies of places such as Norfolk Island show that freshwater biodiversity may be threatened simultaneously by invasive species, declining water quality, habitat degradation and changing rainfall patterns.
The ridge-to-reef approach increasingly used in Pacific conservation recognizes these ecological connections. Forest restoration, watershed protection, sustainable agriculture, mangrove conservation and reef management can therefore be treated as components of one interconnected system.
Invasive Species and Island Extinction
Invasive species are among the most serious threats to Pacific island biodiversity.
Island species frequently evolved without mammalian predators, aggressive introduced plants or many of the diseases now present in their ecosystems. As a result, introduced rats, cats, pigs, snakes, insects, weeds and pathogens can cause disproportionately large ecological impacts.
Guam provides one of the most dramatic examples. The introduced brown tree snake caused severe declines and local extirpations among native birds and other vertebrates. Conservation programs now focus on suppressing snake populations, protecting surviving species and developing technologies capable of rapidly detecting snakes before they spread to other islands.
Environmental DNA, traps and other monitoring technologies are being developed to improve brown tree snake detection.
Rats and feral pigs have also caused extensive damage throughout Pacific islands by eating eggs, chicks, plants and invertebrates and by altering vegetation. Tonga and other countries have undertaken eradication programs on smaller islands, creating opportunities for seabirds, turtles and native vegetation to recover.
Regional cooperation is coordinated in part through the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service, or PRISMSS. The program supports prevention, eradication, biological control, ecosystem restoration and technical capacity across Pacific island countries and territories.
Invasive plants, ants, beetles and marine organisms transported by ships create additional challenges. Biosecurity is therefore increasingly treated as a central component of biodiversity conservation rather than simply an agricultural concern.
Birds, Wildlife and Species Recovery
Pacific islands are especially important for seabirds and endemic forest birds.
Seabirds transport nutrients from the ocean onto islands, where those nutrients can influence vegetation and even neighboring coral reefs. Removing invasive predators and rebuilding seabird colonies can therefore restore ecological connections extending beyond the birds themselves.
Conservation programs have successfully translocated threatened Hawaiian petrels and Newell's shearwaters to protected breeding areas. Other research has identified priority colonies and species for future restoration throughout the U.S. Pacific Islands.
Hawaiian forest birds face a different threat. Mosquito-borne avian malaria has expanded into habitats that historically provided protection because cooler temperatures restricted mosquitoes. Warming temperatures have allowed disease vectors to move into higher elevations, contributing to severe declines in native birds.
Conservation strategies include mosquito monitoring and suppression, disease management, habitat protection, captive conservation and emergency measures for species approaching extinction.
Other threatened Pacific wildlife includes sea turtles, dugongs, rays, giant clams, reptiles, land snails and numerous endemic plants and invertebrates. Critical-habitat initiatives in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands illustrate efforts to protect the limited habitats upon which many island species depend.
Climate Change and Ecological Resilience
Climate change intensifies many existing pressures on Pacific biodiversity.
Coral reefs are threatened by marine heatwaves and bleaching, while ocean acidification may affect organisms that build shells or skeletons. Changing rainfall can influence freshwater ecosystems, forests and wildfire risk. Sea-level rise threatens wetlands, mangroves, nesting beaches and low-lying atolls.
Climate change can also interact with invasive species and disease. Hawaiian avian malaria demonstrates how warming temperatures can allow biological threats to expand into previously protected habitats.
Pacific conservation organizations increasingly emphasize ecological resilience. Rather than attempting only to preserve ecosystems in their present condition, resilience strategies seek to maintain ecological functions and increase the ability of ecosystems to recover from disturbance.
Coral restoration, mangrove protection, watershed restoration, invasive-species removal and improved protected-area management are increasingly framed as both biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation.
Nature-based solutions have consequently become an important part of regional environmental policy.
Indigenous Knowledge and Community Conservation
Conservation in the Pacific cannot be separated from local communities and customary governance.
Traditional ecological knowledge includes long-established understanding of species, seasons, fishing grounds, forests, reefs and resource-management practices. In many areas, customary systems regulate access to land and marine resources.
Locally managed marine areas have become one of the most prominent examples of community-based conservation in the region. Communities may establish temporary or permanent fishing closures, often drawing on traditional systems such as tabu areas.
Studies in Fiji and elsewhere show that these arrangements can support fisheries management, biodiversity recovery, community participation and local livelihoods. Their effectiveness depends on social conditions as well as ecological ones.
The Micronesia Challenge represents another influential model. Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands committed to conserving significant portions of their terrestrial and marine environments while strengthening community participation and sustainable management.
Regional conservation initiatives increasingly emphasize Indigenous peoples and local communities as conservation partners rather than treating conservation simply as the establishment of government-controlled reserves.
Protected Areas and Regional Conservation
Pacific nations have established marine parks, forest reserves, community conservation areas, national parks, World Heritage sites, Key Biodiversity Areas and other protected or conserved areas.
The region includes globally important sites such as the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, the lagoons of New Caledonia and extensive marine protected areas across Micronesia and French Polynesia.
However, simply designating protected areas does not guarantee effective conservation. Assessments emphasize ecological representation, connectivity, enforcement, financing, monitoring and management effectiveness.
Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures, or OECMs, provide another approach. These recognize places where biodiversity is effectively conserved even when conservation is not necessarily the area's primary formal purpose. The Takitumu Conservation Area in the Cook Islands became an important Pacific example of this approach.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework has increased attention to protecting and effectively conserving 30 percent of terrestrial, inland-water, coastal and marine areas by 2030. Pacific governments are adapting these global targets to regional ecological, cultural and governance conditions.
National Biodiversity Strategies and Regional Cooperation
Pacific countries are updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans to reflect emerging regional and global conservation priorities.
Plans from Tonga, Vanuatu, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea and other Pacific countries address combinations of protected areas, invasive species, traditional knowledge, threatened species, sustainable resource use, climate resilience and conservation financing.
Regional organizations provide technical coordination and shared environmental information.
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme plays a particularly important role through biodiversity programs, environmental assessments, invasive-species initiatives, protected-area information systems and regional conservation conferences.
The Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation and the Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation have also helped develop common conservation priorities.
Regional cooperation is particularly valuable because invasive species, migratory wildlife, ocean ecosystems, climate change and conservation finance frequently cross national boundaries.
Conservation Science, Monitoring and New Technology
Better biodiversity information has become increasingly important to Pacific conservation.
Environmental DNA can detect species from genetic material left in water or other environments. In Palau it is being used to examine coral communities, while Guam researchers are developing rapid eDNA systems for detecting brown tree snakes.
Remote sensing and geographic information systems help map reefs, forests, protected areas and environmental change. Satellite observations have also been used to investigate long-term coral bleaching.
Long-term monitoring provides information that cannot be obtained from isolated surveys. Programs in Palau, American Samoa, Hawaiʻi and elsewhere track coral cover, fish populations, invasive species, wildlife disease and environmental conditions.
Regional databases and portals are making biodiversity information more accessible to governments, communities and researchers. New databases focused on Indo-Pacific atolls are combining species observations with information about habitat, climate and human pressures.
Community-based monitoring can complement professional science, especially across remote islands where permanent scientific infrastructure is limited.
Technology does not replace ecological knowledge or local participation, but it can improve early detection, monitoring and conservation planning.
Financing Pacific Biodiversity Conservation
Conservation programs require sustained financing for monitoring, protected-area management, invasive-species eradication, community programs, scientific research and restoration.
Pacific countries often face particular financial constraints because conservation programs may operate across many remote islands and enormous marine jurisdictions.
Biodiversity finance initiatives are therefore examining ways to integrate conservation into government planning and mobilize funding from international institutions, governments, philanthropy and other sources.
The Biodiversity Finance Initiative has expanded its activities across Pacific countries, while grants from international conservation organizations and philanthropic foundations are supporting protected areas, fisheries monitoring and community conservation.
Long-term financing is particularly important because ecological restoration and protected-area management generally require decades of continued effort rather than short-term projects.
Conclusion
Pacific Islands biodiversity combines exceptional biological richness with exceptional vulnerability. Geographic isolation has created remarkable concentrations of endemic species, coral reefs, seabird colonies, tropical forests, freshwater habitats and marine ecosystems. The same isolation, however, means that invasive species, habitat destruction, disease and climate change can rapidly threaten organisms found nowhere else.
Conservation across the Pacific increasingly reflects the interconnected nature of island ecosystems. Forests, rivers, mangroves, reefs and the open ocean are not separate conservation problems but components of larger ecological systems. Likewise, conservation cannot be separated from food security, fisheries, culture, customary governance and community livelihoods.
Important progress is being made through invasive-species eradication, coral restoration, protected areas, locally managed marine areas, endangered-species recovery, biodiversity monitoring and national conservation strategies. New technologies such as environmental DNA, satellite monitoring and biodiversity databases are expanding the tools available to conservationists.
At the same time, traditional ecological knowledge and community stewardship remain central to many of the region's most promising conservation approaches.
The future of Pacific biodiversity will depend on combining these approaches: strong local governance, Indigenous and community participation, scientific monitoring, effective protected areas, invasive-species prevention, ecosystem restoration, sustainable financing and coordinated regional action.
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Regional Governance, Policy, Finance & Conservation Frameworks
SPREP and Conservation International Strengthen Partnership to Accelerate Nature Conservation and Climate Resilience Across the Pacific | SPREP | Pacific Environment | September 2, 2026 Describes a five-year partnership between SPREP and Conservation International to expand Pacific-led biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, sustainable finance, and community-based environmental solutions.
Investing in Nature, Building Pacific Resilience: PPIN Leaves a Foundation for Future Action | IUCN | IUCN Oceania | September 2, 2026 Reviews four years of Pacific nature-based-solutions work in Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu and argues for scaling ecosystem restoration and conservation through policy, finance, and community partnerships.
Setting the Pacific Scene: The 11th Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation, Noumea 2026 | SPREP | Pacific Environment | August 31, 2026 Previews the Pacific region's major nature-conservation gathering and the development of a new regional framework addressing protected areas, threatened species, invasive species, restoration, governance, and traditional knowledge.
PPIN Project Leaves Lasting Policy Legacy Across Pacific | SPREP | Pacific Environment | August 28, 2026 Reviews work in Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu to incorporate nature-based solutions, customary stewardship, ecosystem management, and biodiversity protection into national and institutional policy.
SPREP Message for World Biodiversity Day | SPREP | Pacific Environment | May 25, 2026 Connects community-led conservation in the Pacific with implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and regional biodiversity priorities.
The Nature Conservancy Awarded $6.5M Bezos Earth Fund Grant | The Nature Conservancy | The Nature Conservancy | 2026 Explains new support for community-led marine conservation, protected-area management, fisheries monitoring, enforcement, and sustainable conservation finance across Micronesia.
Advancing Biodiversity Conservation in Papua New Guinea: Empowering IPLCs and Enhancing NBSAP and KMGBF Implementation | FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization | 2026 Describes a biodiversity project focused on critical ecosystems, Indigenous peoples and local communities, conservation finance, protected areas, and long-term ecological resilience.
11th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation | SPREP | Pacific Environment | 2026 Outlines the 2026 conference focused on Pacific-led solutions to biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, protected areas, ecosystem restoration, and conservation finance.
Pacific Islands Roundtable 2025 Advances Effective Conservation Action | SPREP | Pacific Environment | December 11, 2025 Summarizes regional collaboration on Indigenous knowledge, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, conservation financing, youth engagement, and development of the Pacific conservation framework for 2026–2030.
Development of 2025 State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands Regional Report Gets Underway | SPREP | Pacific Environment | July 29, 2025 Explains the development of an updated regional assessment tracking biodiversity, protected areas, invasive species, pollution, ecosystems, climate, and environmental governance.
Pacific Island Countries Unite to Launch Regional Biodiversity Finance Programme | UNDP Pacific | United Nations Development Programme | July 8, 2025 Describes expansion of BIOFIN across Pacific countries to develop national biodiversity finance plans, mobilize resources, and fund implementation of biodiversity strategies.
Sub-regional Pacific Dialogue Charts Path for Climate and Nature Action | SPREP | Pacific Environment | May 20, 2025 Examines efforts to coordinate climate and biodiversity policy and strengthen the science-policy interface across Pacific island nations.
Report Launch: The First Comprehensive Regional Assessment of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Pacific | IUCN | IUCN Oceania | October 31, 2022 Summarizes the first region-wide assessment of Pacific protected and conserved areas, including marine expansion, community governance, ecological representation, connectivity, and management effectiveness.
State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands: 2020 Regional Report — Biodiversity | SPREP | State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands | 2021 Examines the condition of Pacific biodiversity and the pressures created by invasive species, habitat alteration, climate change, and other environmental threats.
State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands: 2020 Regional Report | SPREP | State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands | 2021 Regional assessment of environmental indicators covering biodiversity, protected areas, land, marine ecosystems, climate, pollution, and environmental governance.
Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas in the Pacific Islands Region 2021–2025 | SPREP and PIRT | Pacific Environment | 2021 Presents the principal regional framework for biodiversity conservation, protected areas, ecosystem management, and links with global biodiversity and sustainable-development targets.
What Is the Importance of Islands to Environmental Conservation? | Christoph Kueffer and Kealohanuiopuna Kinney | Environmental Conservation / USDA Forest Service | 2017 Explains why islands are urgent and cost-effective conservation priorities because they combine exceptional endemic biodiversity, cultural values, and intense ecological vulnerability.
Conservation of Biodiversity in the Pacific Islands of Oceania: Challenges and Opportunities | Stacy Jupiter, Sangeeta Mangubhai and Richard T. Kingsford | Pacific Conservation Biology | 2014 Synthesizes the major drivers of Pacific biodiversity decline and evaluates conservation policy, governance, protected areas, and opportunities for more effective action.
When Worlds Collide: Challenges and Opportunities for Conservation of Biodiversity in the Hawaiian Islands | Carter T. Atkinson et al. | U.S. Geological Survey / Wiley | 2013 Reviews invasive species, landscape change, social factors, climate change, and conservation approaches affecting Hawaiʻi's highly endemic terrestrial biodiversity.
Value Island Biodiversity | IUCN and SPREP | IUCN | 2011 Provides an accessible regional overview of Pacific island species richness, endemism, fisheries, threatened wildlife, cultural connections, and conservation importance.
Valuing and Conserving Nature | IUCN | IUCN Oceania | n.d. Describes regional work to conserve highly endemic Pacific biodiversity while strengthening sustainable management of species, ecosystems, and the ecosystem services that support island livelihoods.
Pacific BIOPAMA | IUCN | IUCN Oceania | n.d. Explains a regional program supporting protected and conserved areas, grants, biodiversity data, management effectiveness, and evidence-based conservation across Pacific ACP countries.
About the Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas | SPREP | Pacific Environment | n.d. Provides historical context for the Pacific's recurring regional conservation conferences and their role in setting shared biodiversity priorities.
National Strategies, Country Reports & Protected-Area Profiles
Samoa Validates Its 7th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity | Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment | Government of Samoa | August 5, 2026 Reports national validation of Samoa's newest biodiversity assessment with participation from government, civil society, academia, and development partners.
National Inception Workshop for Samoa's Seventh National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity | Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment | Government of Samoa | January 19, 2026 Describes preparation of Samoa's latest CBD national report and evaluation of progress toward the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Marshall Islands National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan | Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands | Climate Policy Radar | 2026 Sets out biodiversity targets and actions based on community consultation, the Reimaanlok conservation planning process, and alignment with the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Developing PNG's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2025–2030 | UNDP Papua New Guinea | United Nations Development Programme | November 28, 2025 Describes development of Papua New Guinea's updated biodiversity strategy and national targets aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
NBSAP Workshop Reports 2024–2025 | Cook Islands National Environment Service | Cook Islands Environment Data Portal | May 15, 2025 Documents island-by-island consultations used to update national biodiversity priorities and align Cook Islands planning with the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Protected Planet Report 2024 — Cook Islands OECM Case Study | UNEP-WCMC and IUCN | Cook Islands Environment Data Portal | November 22, 2024 Includes a case study of Takitumu Conservation Area on Rarotonga, recognized as Oceania's first designated other effective area-based conservation measure.
Papua New Guinea State of the Environment Report 2020 | PNG Conservation and Environment Protection Authority | Papua New Guinea Environment Data Portal | April 23, 2024 Assesses environmental conditions, biodiversity pressures, ecosystem trends, resource use, and policy responses across one of the world's most biologically diverse countries.
Papua New Guinea National Environment Management Strategy 2021–2025 | PNG Conservation and Environment Protection Authority | Papua New Guinea Environment Data Portal | April 23, 2024 Sets national objectives for terrestrial biodiversity, marine and coastal conservation, water, heritage, climate, and environmental management.
Takitumu Conservation Area — OECM Process of Recognition | Cook Islands National Environment Service | Cook Islands Environment Data Portal | March 1, 2024 Documents community consultation and recognition of the Takitumu Conservation Area as an OECM protecting the endemic Rarotonga flycatcher and native forest biodiversity.
Cook Islands National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan | Cook Islands National Environment Service | Cook Islands Environment Data Portal | March 1, 2024 Provides the national strategy for conserving Cook Islands biodiversity, ecosystems, threatened species, and sustainable uses of biological resources.
Solomon Islands Voluntary National Review 2024 — Biodiversity Conservation | Government of Solomon Islands | Government of Solomon Islands | 2024 Reviews national biodiversity pressures and protected-area progress, including threatened plants and mammals, forest conservation areas, and community marine protection.
Cook Islands GEF-7 Project Documents and Reports | Cook Islands National Environment Service, UNEP and GEF | Cook Islands Environment Data Portal | March 29, 2023 Describes a national project to improve protected-area effectiveness and integrate biodiversity conservation across Cook Islands ecosystems and species.
Samoa State of the Environment Report 2023 | Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment | Samoa Environment Data Portal | 2023 Assesses Samoa's environmental condition, including invasive species, Key Biodiversity Areas, forests, marine ecosystems, ecosystem restoration, and conservation management.
Biodiversity Conservation Resources — Papua New Guinea | PNG Conservation and Environment Protection Authority et al. | Papua New Guinea Environment Data Portal | July 19, 2021 Collects reports on marine areas, village resource use, protected areas, and biodiversity management relevant to Papua New Guinea's terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
State of Conservation Report — Republic of the Marshall Islands | SPREP and Marshall Islands Environmental Protection Authority | RMI Environment Data Portal | June 25, 2021 Assesses Marshall Islands conservation using regional indicators covering biodiversity, protected areas, invasive species, and marine and coastal ecosystems.
Niue National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan Resources | Niue Department of Environment | Niue Environment Data Portal | June 7, 2021 Provides national biodiversity planning indicators covering protected areas, invasive species, CBD implementation, and sustainable management of Niue's natural resources.
Vanuatu National Invasive Species Strategy and Action Plan 2014–2020 | Government of Vanuatu | Vanuatu Environment Data Portal | 2021 Addresses invasive species as a major threat to native plants, animals, ecosystems, agriculture, and conservation values throughout Vanuatu.
State of Conservation Report — Samoa | SPREP and Samoa MNRE | Samoa Environment Data Portal | 2021 Uses regional conservation indicators to assess the status of Samoa's biodiversity, protected areas, inland waters, marine systems, and conservation responses.
Review of Tonga's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan | Department of Environment, Tonga | Pacific Environment Data Portal | 2021 Reviews biodiversity trends, threats, implementation progress, and cross-sector collaboration since Tonga's first national biodiversity strategy.
Regional Environmental Indicator Assessments — Tonga | SPREP | Tonga Environment Data Portal | 2021 Provides regional biodiversity indicators for Tonga covering protected spaces, coastal fish, invasive species, pollution, and other ecosystem pressures.
Regional Environmental Indicator Assessments — Marshall Islands | SPREP | RMI Environment Data Portal | 2021 Provides indicators for coral cover, lagoon water quality, coastal fish biomass, protected spaces, migratory species, and invasive-species management.
Regional Environmental Indicator Assessments — Kiribati | SPREP | Kiribati Environment Data Portal | 2021 Compiles biodiversity and environmental indicators relevant to Kiribati, including coastal fish, protected areas, invasive species, migratory wildlife, and marine conditions.
Fiji National Reports and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans | Government of Fiji | Convention on Biological Diversity | 2020 CBD repository providing Fiji's national biodiversity strategies, implementation frameworks, protected-area action plans, and national reports.
Protected Areas Policy Implementation Plan 2018–2028 | Government of Papua New Guinea / UNDP | United Nations Development Programme | June 1, 2018 Establishes a national framework for expanding and improving Papua New Guinea's protected-area system while integrating biodiversity, culture, communities, and sustainable development.
Vanuatu National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2018–2030 | Government of Vanuatu | Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation | 2018 Sets national priorities for protecting endemic plants and animals, forests, reefs, freshwater systems, threatened species, and biodiversity-dependent livelihoods.
Tonga National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2018–2030 | Government of Tonga | Convention on Biological Diversity | 2018 Covers forest, marine and coastal ecosystems, agrobiodiversity, species conservation, invasive species, traditional knowledge, community participation, and biodiversity finance.
Federated States of Micronesia National and State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans | Government of the Federated States of Micronesia | Pacific Environment Data Portal | 2018 Provides national and state-level biodiversity strategies for FSM, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk, and Yap.
Kiribati National Reports and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans | Government of Kiribati | Convention on Biological Diversity | 2017 Repository of Kiribati's biodiversity strategies and reports documenting conservation priorities, marine protection, species, ecosystems, and national implementation.
Tuvalu Fifth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity | Government of Tuvalu | Tuvalu Environment Data Portal | 2016 Summarizes Tuvalu's biodiversity, cultural importance of species and ecosystems, conservation status, threats, and national responses since its previous CBD report.
Kiribati National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2016–2020 | Government of Kiribati | Kiribati Environment Data Portal | 2016 Defines national priorities for conserving Kiribati's terrestrial and marine biodiversity while increasing resilience to climate change.
State of Conservation in Tonga | SPREP and Government of Tonga | Tonga Environment Data Portal | 2013 Assesses protected areas, invasive species, threatened biodiversity, national conservation policy, and traditional governance mechanisms affecting Tonga's ecosystems.
Republic of the Marshall Islands State-Wide Assessment and Resource Strategy 2010–2015 | Government of the Marshall Islands | RMI Environment Data Portal | 2010 Reviews terrestrial biodiversity, traditional cultivars, migratory birds, invasive species, atoll ecosystems, and links between land management and marine productivity.
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan: Tonga | Government of Tonga | SPREP Library | 2006 Foundational national plan addressing forests, marine ecosystems, priority species, agrobiodiversity, sustainable resource management, and public participation.
Vanuatu Biodiversity and Conservation Map | Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation | Government of Vanuatu | n.d. Maps marine protected areas, forest conservation areas, Important Bird Areas, Key Biodiversity Areas, mangroves, reserves, and other conservation sites across Vanuatu.
Solomon Islands — Protected Areas and Biodiversity Profile | SPREP | Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal | n.d. Provides current information on marine and terrestrial protected areas, Key Biodiversity Areas, conservation sites, and biodiversity resources in Solomon Islands.
Samoa — Protected Areas and Biodiversity Profile | SPREP | Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal | n.d. Provides information on Samoa's reserves, national parks, wetlands, marine protected areas, Key Biodiversity Areas, and conservation data.
Protected Areas in Solomon Islands | Wildlife Conservation Society | WCS Solomon Islands | n.d. Describes work on marine spatial planning, offshore marine protection, community conservation, and protection of biodiverse upland forests such as Kolombangara.
Post-COP10 National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans | Convention on Biological Diversity | CBD | n.d. Provides summaries of updated NBSAPs, including Pacific island strategies for Kiribati and Solomon Islands and their approaches to community conservation and customary governance.
Palau — Protected Areas and Biodiversity Profile | SPREP | Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal | n.d. Catalogues Palau's extensive network of marine and terrestrial conservation areas and links to biodiversity information and protected-area databases.
Biodiversity in Vanuatu | Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation | Government of Vanuatu | n.d. Introduces Vanuatu's native plants and animals, the importance of biodiversity to traditional livelihoods, and pressures caused by development and resource exploitation.
Marine Biodiversity, Coral Reefs, Fisheries & Ocean Protection
PICRC Publishes New Climate-Smart Framework to Strengthen Coral Reef Restoration in the Face of Climate Change | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC | August 4, 2026 Introduces an adaptive coral-restoration framework designed to improve reef resilience, management, and community preparedness as marine heatwaves intensify.
The Atoll Gap: Area, Governance, and the Under-Recognition of a Major Coral Reef System | Alex Wegmann et al. | Frontiers in Marine Science | August 2026 Quantifies the enormous reef area associated with Indo-Pacific atolls and argues that atoll systems deserve more explicit attention in regional conservation planning.
Nearly 40,000 Coral Juveniles Produced at PICRC to Support Reef Restoration | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC | June 19, 2026 Reports successful coral spawning and juvenile production to support restoration of damaged Palauan reefs and increase resilience to climate stress.
Conservation International Celebrates French Polynesia's Leadership in Global Ocean Protection | Conservation International | Conservation International | June 10, 2026 Details new high-protection zones for sharks, whales, dolphins, turtles, tuna spawning grounds, reefs, and endemic marine species in the Austral and Marquesas archipelagos.
The World Just Gained a Marine Protected Area the Size of France | Mary Kate McCoy | Conservation International | June 9, 2026 Reports on major new fully protected marine areas around French Polynesia's Austral and Marquesas Islands and the biodiversity they are intended to safeguard.
Securing a Healthy, Resilient Pacific Ocean and Environment | SPREP | Pacific Environment | June 9, 2026 Examines Pacific approaches to conserving 30 percent of land, inland waters, and seas by 2030 while recognizing the region's distinctive ecological and cultural circumstances.
Aires marines protégées : la Polynésie étend la protection de 500 000 km² | Government of French Polynesia | Government of French Polynesia | June 8, 2026 Explains French Polynesia's plan to expand strongly protected marine reserves across the Marquesas, Austral Islands, and western Society Islands.
The Case for Strengthening Marine Protections in the Austral and Marquesas Islands | Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy | Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy | May 22, 2026 Reviews biodiversity, cultural values, fisheries, and conservation opportunities in two remote French Polynesian archipelagos targeted for stronger marine protection.
Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument | NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries | 2026 Profiles protected islands, atolls, coral reefs, seamounts, and deep-ocean ecosystems in one of the central Pacific's largest conservation areas.
Pacific Islands | NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries | 2026 Regional overview of coral reefs, fisheries, marine mammals, sea turtles, protected species, ocean habitat, and conservation throughout the U.S. Pacific Islands.
From Spatial Expansion to Institutional Coherence: Governance Pathways of Marine Protected Areas in Island Blue Economies | Marine Governance Researchers | Frontiers in Marine Science | 2026 Compares marine protected-area governance and resilience in Fiji, Palau, and Taiwan, focusing on enforcement, monitoring, climate adaptation, and biodiversity outcomes.
SPREP and the Agence Française de Développement Sign the Pacific Ocean Initiative | SPREP | Pacific Environment | December 15, 2025 Describes a regional program for protecting coastal and marine biodiversity, improving ecosystem resilience, and supporting food and economic security.
The World's Largest Marine Protected Area Has Been Established in French Polynesia | UNEP-WCMC | UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre | August 2025 Examines French Polynesia's large-scale ocean protection and its significance for coral reefs, deep-sea ecosystems, marine biodiversity, and the global 30-by-30 target.
Assessment of Spatial Distribution of Organic Contaminants and Metallic Compounds on a Tropical Island's Coral Reef Fish Communities | Noreen Wejieme et al. | Marine Pollution Bulletin | August 2025 Maps contaminants in New Caledonian reef fishes and examines how mining, rainfall, reef area, and other factors shape exposure across a biodiversity hotspot.
Creating a Sanctuary: Protecting Snails and Restoring Ecosystems at War in the Pacific National Historical Park | National Park Service | U.S. National Park Service | March 2025 Examines Guam tree-snail conservation and ecosystem restoration amid threats from brown tree snakes, little fire ants, habitat loss, and extreme weather.
Coral Reefs in the Pacific | NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries | 2025 Detailed overview of coral diversity, reef fish, ocean conditions, monitoring, climate stress, coral biology, and ecosystem-based reef management across U.S. Pacific islands.
Coral Health and Threats in the Pacific Islands | NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries | 2025 Reviews coral bleaching, disease, macroalgae, predators, fishing, pollution, marine debris, and other stressors affecting Pacific reefs.
Two Decades of Coral Bleaching in Selected Islands of the Pacific Ocean: A Holistic Impact Assessment | Md. Wasim, Arvind Chandra Pandey, K. K. Basheer Ahammed and Chandra Shekhar Dwivedi | Regional Studies in Marine Science | 2024 Uses satellite observations to assess long-term coral change and bleaching at sites in Fiji, the Cook Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Pacific Islands Complex | NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries | October 28, 2022 Introduces the Hawaiian Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands as an interconnected marine region facing climate change, pollution, invasive species, and coastal development.
A Typology for Reef Passages | Pacific Reef Researchers | Frontiers in Marine Science | 2022 Classifies reef passages across Fiji, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu and explains their importance for ecological connectivity, fish spawning, fisheries, and biodiversity management.
Seagrass Ecosystems of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories: A Global Bright Spot | Len J. McKenzie et al. | Marine Pollution Bulletin | June 2021 Regional synthesis of seagrass diversity, distribution, condition, conservation policy, traditional management, and ecological resilience across Pacific Island countries and territories.
Surface Slicks Are Pelagic Nurseries for Diverse Ocean Fauna | NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries | February 4, 2021 Examines surface slicks near Hawai'i as nursery habitats used by larvae and juveniles from more than one hundred marine fish species.
Coral Reef Ecosystems of American Samoa: 2002–2010 Overview | NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries | August 31, 2018 Summarizes long-term monitoring of coral, reef fish, and ocean conditions around American Samoa and compares ecosystem trends with other Pacific reefs.
Size, Age, and Habitat Determine Effectiveness of Palau's Marine Protected Areas | Alan M. Friedlander et al. | PLOS ONE | March 30, 2017 Evaluates how reserve size, age, habitat, and customary management influence ecological outcomes in Palau's marine protected-area network.
The Conservation Status of Marine Biodiversity of the Pacific Islands of Oceania | J. R. Buchanan et al. | IUCN | 2017 Major Red List assessment of marine species across Oceania designed to identify threatened species, conservation priorities, and gaps in marine biodiversity knowledge.
Small Marine Protected Areas in Fiji Provide Refuge for Reef Fish Assemblages, Feeding Groups, and Corals | Douglas B. Rasher et al. | PLOS ONE | 2017 Finds that small no-take areas in Fiji can support greater fish diversity and biomass, higher coral cover, stronger herbivory, and improved reef ecological processes.
Endangered New Caledonian Endemic Mushroom Coral Cantharellus noumeae in Turbid, Metal-Rich, Natural and Artificial Environments | Antoine Gilbert et al. | Marine Pollution Bulletin | 2015 Provides a quantitative assessment of an endangered coral found only in New Caledonia and examines habitat, recruitment, sediment, and metal exposure.
Global Priorities for Marine Biodiversity Conservation | Camilo Mora et al. | PLOS ONE | 2013 Identifies marine biodiversity priority areas worldwide, including high-value areas in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and other Pacific regions.
Catch Rates, Composition and Fish Size from Reefs Managed with Periodically-Harvested Closures | Philippa J. Cohen and Simon J. Foale | PLOS ONE | 2013 Examines community-managed reef closures in the Solomon Islands and how periodic harvesting affects catches, fish size, and local fisheries management.
Outlook Report on the State of Marine Biodiversity in the Pacific Islands Region | UNEP | United Nations Environment Programme | September 15, 2010 Reviews the condition of Pacific marine biodiversity, pressures affecting ecosystems, and regional and national conservation responses.
Characterizing the Diversity of Coral Reef Habitats and Fish Communities Found in a UNESCO World Heritage Site | S. Andréfouët and L. Wantiez | Marine Pollution Bulletin | 2010 Describes a remote-sensing and field-survey strategy for representing the extraordinary diversity of coral habitats and fish communities in New Caledonia's lagoons.
World Heritage Committee Decision 32 COM 8B.10 — Lagoons of New Caledonia | UNESCO World Heritage Committee | UNESCO | 2008 Records the World Heritage inscription of New Caledonia's lagoon complexes for their reef diversity, ecological processes, threatened species, and exceptional natural values.
Conservation Hotspots of Biodiversity and Endemism for Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Fishes | Gerald R. Allen | Aquatic Conservation | August 24, 2007 Maps reef-fish richness and endemism across the Indo-Pacific and highlights Pacific islands such as Hawaiʻi, Easter Island, the Marquesas, Fiji, Palau, and New Caledonia.
Phoenix Islands Protected Area | UNESCO World Heritage Centre | UNESCO | n.d. Profiles Kiribati's vast protected ocean wilderness, including coral reefs, seamounts, seabirds, marine mammals, fish, and largely intact open-ocean ecological processes.
Pacific Islands Region | NOAA | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries | n.d. Introduces protected Pacific ecosystems ranging from coral islands and shallow reefs to mesophotic habitats, seamounts, open ocean, and abyssal environments.
Pacific Islands Habitat | NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries | n.d. Describes NOAA's work conserving reefs, seamounts, trenches, essential fish habitat, and other marine ecosystems supporting Pacific biodiversity and communities.
National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa Sentinel Site | NOAA | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries | n.d. Reviews long-term research on coral recovery, fishes, invertebrates, marine plants, fishing regulations, and ecosystem change in American Samoa.
Marine Protected Area Research | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC | n.d. Describes long-term monitoring of Palau's protected-area network and how results are used to evaluate reef condition, fish populations, climate resilience, and management.
Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems | UNESCO World Heritage Centre | UNESCO | n.d. Describes a globally exceptional coral reef system containing mangroves, seagrass, barrier reefs, threatened marine species, large fish, and important dugong habitat.
L'Office français de la biodiversité en Polynésie française | Office français de la biodiversité | Office français de la biodiversité | n.d. Provides an overview of French Polynesia's terrestrial and marine biodiversity, reefs, lagoons, seamounts, protected species, and management of the Tainui Atea marine area.
Ecosystems of National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa | NOAA | National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa | n.d. Describes shallow reefs, mesophotic reefs, pelagic waters, abyssal habitats, seamounts, hydrothermal vents, and their associated biodiversity.
Coral Reefs of American Samoa | NOAA | National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa | n.d. Introduces the diverse coral reef ecosystems of the Samoan archipelago and their role as habitat for fish, invertebrates, sharks, turtles, and other marine life.
About National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa | NOAA | National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa | n.d. Overview of six protected marine areas containing reefs, open ocean, deep-sea habitat, cultural resources, and exceptional biological diversity.
2007–2020 National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa Condition Report | NOAA | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries | n.d. Assesses the condition and trends of coral reefs, fishes, marine mammals, turtles, deep-water habitats, water quality, and other components of the sanctuary ecosystem.
Invasive Species, Biosecurity & Island Restoration
New Research Advances Methods for Detection and Removal of Invasive Brown Treesnakes in the Pacific | U.S. Geological Survey | U.S. Geological Survey | September 2, 2026 Reviews new brown-tree-snake detection and control research aimed at protecting Guam and preventing ecological damage on neighboring Pacific islands.
Tonga Tests Innovative Solutions for Managing Invasive Rats | SPREP | Pacific Environment | August 19, 2026 Reports on Tonga's field testing of automated rat-control technology on Mount Talau in Vava'u as part of efforts to protect native biodiversity and restore island ecosystems.
Strengthening Community Voices: Integrating GEDSI and Traditional Knowledge for Invasive Species Management in Vava'u | SPREP | Pacific Environment | August 14, 2026 Explores how traditional knowledge, inclusive community participation, and invasive-species management can be integrated to strengthen biodiversity conservation in Tonga.
Safeguarding Samoa's Protected Areas and High Conservation Value Forests and Marine Areas from Invasive Alien Species | Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment | Government of Samoa | May 4, 2026 Reports field surveys and invasive-species management in national parks, community conservation areas, marine protected areas, and surrounding catchments.
Awards to Celebrate Pacific NGOs Battling Invasive Species to Strengthen Island Resilience | SPREP | Pacific Environment | March 3, 2026 Highlights local NGOs protecting forests, seabirds, native wildlife, and other island ecosystems from invasive rats, cats, pigs, weeds, and other introduced species.
Getting Ahead of the Crises: Developing an Avian Malaria Disease Management Plan for Hawaiian Forest Birds | Eben H. Paxton et al. | U.S. Geological Survey / Conservation Science and Practice | December 10, 2025 Proposes a staged disease-management framework for detecting and responding to avian malaria threats in high-elevation Hawaiian forest-bird refuges.
Tonga Marks Conservation Victory: Seabirds and Turtles to Benefit from Invasive Rat and Feral Pig-Free Islands | SPREP | Pacific Environment | September 26, 2025 Reports successful eradication of invasive rats and feral pigs from Tongan islands, creating safer breeding habitat for seabirds and other native wildlife.
Innovating Against Invasive Species: Turning Science-Driven Solutions into Action for the Pacific | SPREP | Pacific Environment | September 12, 2025 Reviews research, biological control, and community approaches for reducing invasive plant impacts on Pacific biodiversity and ecosystem services.
PRISMSS: Driving Innovative Solutions for Invasive Species Management Through Integration, Collaboration, and Strong Partnerships | SPREP | Pacific Environment | September 2, 2025 Explains the regional PRISMSS system for scaling invasive-species control and restoring native ecosystems across thousands of Pacific islands.
Strengthening Biodiversity Protection in Pacific SIDS Through Targeted Invasive Species Management Technical Training | SPREP | Pacific Environment | August 8, 2025 Covers regional training designed to improve biosecurity and invasive-species management across Pacific Small Island Developing States.
Pacific Island Nations Celebrate Milestones in Biodiversity and Climate Resilience Through GEF-6 Regional Invasives Project | SPREP | Pacific Environment | June 30, 2025 Reviews invasive-species projects in the Marshall Islands, Niue, Tonga, and Tuvalu that link ecological restoration with biodiversity protection and climate resilience.
Assessing Mosquito Populations to Limit the Spread of Avian Disease and Inform the Conservation of Hawaiian Forest Birds | U.S. Geological Survey | U.S. Geological Survey | October 31, 2024 Examines mosquito monitoring and suppression as conservation tools for endemic Hawaiian birds threatened by climate-driven expansion of avian malaria.
Three New Strategies for Improving Biosecurity and Invasive Species Management to Build Resilience in Pacific Islands | Benjamin D. Hoffmann et al. | NeoBiota | 2024 Presents Pacific-wide strategies addressing invasive ants, coconut rhinoceros beetles, biological control, biosecurity, ecosystem resilience, and regional collaboration.
Hawaiian Forest Bird Avian Malaria Prevalence 2018–2021 | Eben Paxton | U.S. Geological Survey | August 2, 2023 Provides disease-surveillance data from thousands of native and introduced birds sampled across Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island.
Suppression of Invasive Brown Treesnakes and Reintroduction of Native Avifauna on Guam | Robert McElderry et al. | U.S. Geological Survey / Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America | January 4, 2023 Models how intensive snake suppression might allow native bird species to be reintroduced into Guam forests even when complete island-wide eradication is infeasible.
Ship-Driven Biopollution: How Aliens Transform the Local Ecosystem Diversity in Pacific Islands | Alba Ardura, Sara Fernandez, Anne Haguenauer, Serge Planes and Eva Garcia-Vazquez | Marine Pollution Bulletin | May 2021 Uses DNA methods to examine introduced marine species in French Polynesian reefs and the role of shipping in reshaping remote island biological communities.
State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands: Indicators 19–20 — Managing Invasive Species in the Pacific | SPREP | SPREP Library | 2020 Assesses invasive species as a major driver of island extinction and reviews regional progress in prevention, eradication, management, and ecosystem recovery.
Feral Cats Threaten the Outstanding Endemic Fauna of the New Caledonia Biodiversity Hotspot | New Caledonia Conservation Researchers | Biological Conservation | October 2017 Documents extensive feral-cat predation on endemic reptiles, flying foxes, petrels, and other wildlife across major New Caledonian habitats.
Invasive Alien Species on Islands: Impacts, Distribution, Interactions and Management | James C. Russell et al. | Environmental Conservation | 2017 Reviews why island biodiversity is exceptionally vulnerable to introduced species and examines their ecological, economic, cultural, and management implications.
Invasive Species Management in the Pacific: A Review of National Plans 2010 | Pacific Invasives Initiative | SPREP Pacific Environment Data Portal | 2010 Reviews how invasive-species management was incorporated into national biodiversity strategies across twelve Pacific island countries.
Invasive Exotic Plants in the Tropical Pacific Islands: Patterns of Diversity | Julie S. Denslow, James C. Space and Philip A. Thomas | Biotropica | February 27, 2009 Analyzes invasive plant diversity across numerous Pacific islands and investigates the geographic, ecological, and socioeconomic factors associated with invasion.
Biology and Impacts of Pacific Island Invasive Species: Boiga irregularis, the Brown Tree Snake | Gordon H. Rodda and Julie A. Savidge | Pacific Science / USGS | 2007 Reviews the brown tree snake invasion of Guam, its severe effects on native birds, bats, and reptiles, and the danger of its spread to other Pacific islands.
Impacts of the Brown Tree Snake: Patterns of Decline and Species Persistence in Guam's Avifauna | G. J. Wiles et al. | U.S. Geological Survey / Conservation Biology | 2003 Quantifies the devastating impact of invasive brown tree snakes on Guam's native bird community and documents widespread extirpations and severe population declines.
Invasive Species in the Pacific: A Regional Strategy | Greg Sherley, Susan Timmins and Sarah Lowe | SPREP Pacific Environment Data Portal | 2000 Sets out a regional strategy for addressing invasive species as a major threat to native island biodiversity and ecosystem integrity.
Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service | SPREP | PRISMSS | n.d. Regional platform coordinating invasive-species prevention, eradication, control, restoration, and technical assistance for Pacific Island countries and territories.
Birds, Threatened Species & Wildlife Conservation
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Downlist Aeʻo from Endangered to Threatened | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | July 16, 2026 Describes the recovery and continuing conservation needs of the Hawaiian stilt, a native wetland bird dependent on sustained habitat management.
Safeguarding Fiji's Elusive Seabirds | BirdLife International | BirdLife International | May 20, 2026 Examines efforts on Gau Island to conserve the Critically Endangered Fiji Petrel and Collared Petrel through community participation and invasive-species control.
Designation of Critical Habitat for 22 Species in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Territory of Guam | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | March 24, 2026 Proposes critical habitat for threatened plants, insects, tree snails, a skink, and the Pacific sheath-tailed bat across Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Pacific | BirdLife International | BirdLife International | 2026 Regional overview of Pacific bird diversity, threatened species, Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, community conservation, invasive species, and extinction-prevention programs.
Giant Clam Gardens: Cultural Practices and Ecological Implications for Population Resilience in New Caledonia | Pascal Dumas, Cecile Portes and Christophe Peignon | Ocean & Coastal Management | January 2026 Examines culturally important giant-clam aggregations in New Caledonia and their potential role in subsistence use and broader population resilience.
Critical Habitat in the Mariana Islands | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 2026 Profiles endemic and threatened Mariana plants and animals and maps habitat proposed for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
Pacific Sea Turtle Training Begins in Solomon Islands | SPREP | Pacific Environment | December 16, 2025 Describes monitoring and conservation training for leatherback and green turtles, including nesting surveys, genetic sampling, community rangers, and a Pacific-wide turtle database.
Disease-Driven Collapse of the Native Kauaʻi Avifauna and the Rise of Introduced Bird Species | Noah J. Hunt et al. | U.S. Geological Survey / Biodiversity and Conservation | July 5, 2025 Documents severe long-term declines of native Kauaʻi forest birds associated with the upslope spread of mosquito-borne avian malaria.
Seabird Restoration Priorities for the U.S. Pacific Islands | André F. Raine et al. | Conservation Biology | 2025 Identifies seabird species and colonies most in need of restoration across U.S. Pacific islands and evaluates climate vulnerability, invasive predators, and potential translocation sites.
Island Restoration to Rebuild Seabird Populations and Amplify Coral Reef Functioning | Ruth E. Dunn et al. | Conservation Biology | 2025 Explains how removing invasive species and restoring island vegetation can rebuild seabird colonies and restore nutrient connections between terrestrial islands and neighboring coral reefs.
Rays in the Shadows: Batoid Diversity, Occurrence, and Conservation Status in Fiji | Fiji Shark Lab and Partners | Diversity | 2024 Combines literature, participatory science, photography, iNaturalist records, and environmental DNA to document ray and skate diversity in Fiji.
Human Visitation Disrupts Natural Determinants of Breeding Seabird Communities on Coral Reef Islands | New Caledonia Seabird Researchers | Global Ecology and Conservation | December 2023 Analyzes 100 New Caledonian reef islands and finds that human visitation can reduce seabird diversity and biomass, highlighting the need for disturbance management.
Successful Translocation of Newell's Shearwaters and Hawaiian Petrels to Create a New, Predator-Free Breeding Colony | André F. Raine et al. | Frontiers in Conservation Science | 2023 Documents successful translocation and fledging of endangered Hawaiian seabirds into a predator-free protected colony on Kauaʻi.
A Review of the Ecology and Conservation Biology of Såli, the Micronesian Starling, on Guam | Andre Van Nguyen et al. | U.S. Geological Survey / Micronesica | 2023 Reviews the ecology and persistence of one of Guam's last native forest birds, including seed dispersal, snake predation, cat predation, and conservation opportunities.
Hawaiian Forest Bird Conservation Strategies for Minimizing the Risk of Extinction | Eben H. Paxton et al. | U.S. Geological Survey | April 14, 2022 Evaluates emergency conservation options for Hawaiian honeycreepers threatened by avian malaria, invasive mosquitoes, habitat change, and warming temperatures.
State of Environment and Conservation in the Pacific Islands: Indicator 22 — IUCN Red List Summary | SPREP | SPREP Library | 2020 Summarizes the conservation status of threatened Pacific species and the importance of endemism, limited habitat, invasive predators, pollution, and climate change.
Spatial Mismatch Between Marine Protected Areas and Dugongs in New Caledonia | Marine Conservation Researchers | Biological Conservation | April 2015 Compares dugong distribution with the protected-area network and identifies gaps between important dugong habitats and existing marine protection.
The Current Status and Distribution of Freshwater Fishes, Land Snails and Reptiles in the Pacific Islands of Oceania | Helen Pippard | IUCN | 2012 Assesses extinction risk for hundreds of Pacific freshwater fishes, land snails, and reptiles and identifies invasive species, habitat degradation, overharvest, and data gaps as major concerns.
Forest Plant and Bird Communities in the Lau Group, Fiji | Donald R. Drake et al. | PLOS ONE | 2011 Examines forest composition, landbirds, island size, disturbance history, introduced species, and habitat quality across islands in Fiji's Lau Group.
Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | n.d. Provides regional conservation information for Hawaiʻi, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, remote Pacific islands, Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands.
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Key Biodiversity Area | Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership | Key Biodiversity Areas | n.d. Profiles one of the world's major tropical seabird assemblages as well as endemic Hawaiian birds, marine habitats, reefs, and surrounding pelagic ecosystems.
Niuafo'ou Key Biodiversity Area | Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership | Key Biodiversity Areas | n.d. Documents Tonga's Niuafo'ou biodiversity, including the Tongan megapode, freshwater habitats, native vegetation, reptiles, and culturally important species.
Marine Life in National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa | NOAA | National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa | n.d. Profiles the sanctuary's corals, fish, invertebrates, whales, dolphins, seabirds, sea turtles, giant clams, and other marine biodiversity.
Gau Island Key Biodiversity Area | Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership | Key Biodiversity Areas | n.d. Profiles Gau's globally important Fiji Petrel and Collared Petrel populations as well as endemic forest birds, frogs, reptiles, and plants.
Forests, Freshwater, Mangroves & Terrestrial Ecosystems
FAO and Government of Fiji Sign Forest Restoration Agreement to Strengthen Climate Resilience | FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization | July 9, 2026 Describes a large ridge-to-reef restoration project intended to restore degraded forests and agricultural landscapes while protecting coastal ecosystems and biodiversity in Fiji.
Norfolk Island's Freshwater Ecosystems: Biodiversity Inventory, Threat Assessments, Ecological Recovery and Conservation Planning | Angela H. Arthington et al. | Frontiers in Environmental Science | February 19, 2026 Comprehensive review of freshwater biodiversity, invasive species, water quality, habitat degradation, drying climate, restoration, and conservation planning on Norfolk Island.
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry | U.S. Forest Service | USDA Forest Service Research and Development | 2026 Describes research supporting restoration and conservation of tropical forests, wetlands, streams, mangroves, threatened species, and ecosystem services across U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands.
Resilience of Mangroves to Climate and Land-Use Changes in the Pacific Islands | Eliana Jorquera et al. | CATENA | December 31, 2025 Models the future of a Fiji mangrove wetland under sea-level rise, catchment change, sediment dynamics, deforestation, and conservation scenarios.
The Inequity of Species Names: The Flora of New Caledonia as a Case Study | Botany and Conservation Researchers | Biological Conservation | January 2021 Uses New Caledonia's highly endemic flora to examine how scientific naming practices intersect with culture, representation, and perceptions of biodiversity.
Regional Summaries: Hawaii and US-Affiliated Pacific Islands | Susan Cordell | USDA Forest Service | 2021 Reviews endemic biodiversity and invasive-species challenges across Hawaiʻi and U.S.-affiliated Pacific island forests and rangelands.
Hawaiʻi Forest Review: Synthesizing the Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation of a Model System | Kasey E. Barton et al. | USDA Forest Service / Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics | 2021 Synthesizes Hawaiian forest ecology, endemism, evolution, disturbance, invasive species, climate pressures, and conservation lessons.
Infrastructure Expansion Challenges Sustainable Development in Papua New Guinea | William F. Laurance et al. | PLOS ONE | 2019 Assesses planned road expansion and finds substantial risks to rainforest connectivity, critical biodiversity areas, protected landscapes, and habitat for threatened wildlife.
Biodiversity Conservation in Tropical Forest Landscapes of Oceania | John Woinarski | Biological Conservation | October 2010 Reviews forest biodiversity, endemism, habitat loss, invasive species, traditional management, climate change, and conservation challenges across Oceania.
Island Life in the 21st Century | R. R. Thaman | SPREP Pacific Environment Data Portal | 2002 Provides a broad overview of Pacific biodiversity, its cultural significance, traditional ecological knowledge, sustainable use, threats, and conservation challenges.
Status and Trends of Hawaiian Flora and Fauna | U.S. Geological Survey | U.S. Geological Survey | n.d. Integrates information on native birds, plants, invertebrates, invasive species, conservation lands, and management effectiveness across Hawaiʻi.
Solomon Islands Biodiversity and Land Degradation | UNDP Pacific | United Nations Development Programme | n.d. Profiles efforts to protect Solomon Islands endemic and threatened species from invasive organisms, unsustainable land use, ecosystem degradation, and climate-related risks.
Mangroves in the Pacific Islands Region | SPREP | Regional Wetlands Action Plan | n.d. Reviews Pacific mangrove distribution, species diversity, ecosystem connections with reefs and seagrasses, and their importance to coastal biodiversity.
Fiji: Conserving Watersheds, Forests and Fisheries for Communities | Conservation International | Conservation International | n.d. Describes ridge-to-reef conservation in Fiji, including forests, freshwater watersheds, fisheries, protected areas, community livelihoods, and climate resilience.
Community Conservation, Traditional Knowledge & Local Stewardship
Community Consultation Strengthens Efforts to Protect the Marine Protected Areas of the District of Safata | Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment | Government of Samoa | July 27, 2026 Describes community planning to prevent and manage invasive species in Safata's marine protected areas while incorporating local knowledge into conservation decisions.
PICRC Hosts Regional Workshop to Advance Coral Reef Restoration, Capacity Building, and Community Engagement | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC | July 6, 2026 Summarizes regional planning for coral restoration science, local capacity, community participation, workforce development, and long-term reef resilience.
Pacific Youth to Lead Biodiversity Action Through Regional Dialogue at 11th Pacific Nature Conference | SPREP | Pacific Environment | June 10, 2026 Discusses youth participation, Indigenous knowledge, conservation leadership, and the involvement of younger Pacific Islanders in biodiversity governance.
Reviving Fiji's Garden Island: Taveuni's Journey from Degradation to Renewal | SPREP | Pacific Environment | December 9, 2025 Examines community efforts to restore forests, degraded land, mangroves, wildlife habitat, and ecological resilience on Taveuni.
From Policy to Action: Building Resilience and Empowering Communities to Restore Tonga's Biodiversity | SPREP | Pacific Environment | December 6, 2025 Reviews Tonga's invasive-species policies, island restoration programs, rat eradications, biosecurity planning, and community conservation efforts.
Safeguarding Our Islands, People and Way of Life | SPREP | Pacific Environment | May 23, 2025 Discusses Pacific SIDS cooperation on National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans, climate policy, ecosystem protection, and implementation of global biodiversity commitments.
Locally Managed Marine Areas: Implications for Socio-Economic Impacts in Kadavu, Fiji | Thomas Robertson et al. | Marine Policy | 2020 Uses household and village data to examine the social and economic effects of tabu areas and locally managed marine conservation in Fiji.
The Micronesia Challenge: Assessing the Relative Contribution of Stressors on Coral Reefs to Facilitate Science-to-Management Feedback | Peter Houk et al. | PLOS ONE | June 18, 2015 Investigates how fishing and pollution affect coral-reef ecosystem condition and conservation outcomes across Micronesia.
Locally-Managed Marine Areas: Multiple Objectives and Diverse Strategies | Stacy D. Jupiter, Philippa J. Cohen, Rebecca Weeks, Alifereti Tawake and Hugh Govan | Pacific Conservation Biology / WorldFish | 2014 Examines the spread of locally managed marine areas across the tropical Pacific and their roles in fisheries, biodiversity restoration, livelihoods, customary governance, and community empowerment.
Traditional Environmental Knowledge and Community-Based Biodiversity Conservation in Fiji | R. R. Thaman | University of the South Pacific / SPREP Library | 2000 Examines traditional environmental knowledge as a foundation for community biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource use in Fiji.
The Micronesia Challenge | The Nature Conservancy | The Nature Conservancy | n.d. Reviews a regional commitment to conserve and effectively manage large portions of Micronesia's marine and terrestrial ecosystems through community-led conservation.
Pacific Nature-based Solutions Resource Hub | SPREP | Pacific Nature-based Solutions Resource Hub | n.d. Provides regional resources on ecosystem-based adaptation, biodiversity protection, traditional stewardship, food security, and nature-based climate resilience.
Micronesia Challenge | CNMI Division of Coastal Resources Management | Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands | n.d. Provides regional biodiversity figures and explains shared conservation commitments among Palau, FSM, the Marshall Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Monitoring, Data, eDNA & Conservation Science
Combining Novel Technologies for Fast, Field-Ready eDNA Detection of Brown Treesnakes | U.S. Geological Survey | U.S. Geological Survey | August 4, 2026 Describes development of field eDNA tools designed to detect brown tree snakes rapidly and prevent their spread from Guam to other Pacific islands.
From Data to Decisions? Assessing Community-Based Water Monitoring in Tuvalu | Community Environmental Monitoring Researchers | Frontiers in Environmental Science | August 2026 Evaluates community monitoring on Nanumea, Nui, and Vaitupu and offers lessons for locally led environmental stewardship in remote Pacific atolls.
PICRC Publishes Study on Status of Reef Fish in Palau | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC | May 26, 2026 Uses a decade of market data to assess reef-fish size structure and identify species vulnerable to or already affected by unsustainable fishing.
Solomon Islands Scientific Report from the 2024 National Geographic Pristine Seas Expedition | National Geographic Pristine Seas and Solomon Islands Partners | Solomon Islands Environment Data Portal | May 20, 2026 Reports survey findings on coral reefs, pelagic waters, deep-sea habitats, and seabirds in areas being evaluated for stronger marine protection.
Molokaʻi Forest Bird Malaria Infection Data 2003 | U.S. Geological Survey | U.S. Geological Survey | May 12, 2026 Releases historical disease data from eastern Molokaʻi useful for understanding long-term changes in native honeycreepers, avian malaria, and island bird conservation.
PICRC Welcomes New Researcher to Support eDNA Lab Development | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC | April 29, 2026 Describes development of local environmental-DNA capacity to monitor marine species rapidly and strengthen biodiversity research and management in Palau.
Advancing Biodiversity Monitoring in Samoa | Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment | Government of Samoa | March 22, 2026 Introduces a centralized biodiversity monitoring system intended to improve collection, integration, analysis, and reporting of national environmental data.
PICRC Collaborates on Environmental DNA Study Exploring Coral Communities in Palau | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC | March 20, 2026 Describes research using environmental DNA to study coral-community composition and environmental drivers across Palau's reef systems.
Atoll Biodiversity and Environments: An AI-Ready, Interactive Data Portal for Indo-Pacific Atolls | Sebastian Steibl, Michael W. Burnett, Nick D. Holmes, Alex Wegmann and James C. Russell | AGRIS / FAO | 2026 Introduces a standardized biodiversity and environmental database covering hundreds of Indo-Pacific atolls, thousands of species records, seabird populations, habitat types, climate variables, and human pressures.
Building Capacity for Conservation: GIS Training Strengthens Biodiversity Monitoring in the Cook Islands | SPREP | Pacific Environment | November 14, 2025 Describes training that strengthens the use of GIS, biodiversity data, mapping, monitoring, and evidence-based conservation planning in the Cook Islands.
Study Sheds Light on Hidden Biodiversity in Palau's Reefs | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC | October 6, 2025 Reports the first country-wide survey of reef-rubble cryptofauna in Palau and establishes baseline information for often-overlooked components of reef biodiversity.
Solomon Islands Biodiversity Data Gaps Analysis | BirdLife International | Solomon Islands Environment Data Portal | June 12, 2024 Identifies biodiversity survey gaps within Key Biodiversity Areas in Guadalcanal, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, and Temotu to guide future conservation work.
Assessing the Vulnerability of Marine Life to Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region | NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries | July 11, 2022 Summarizes a climate-vulnerability assessment of 83 Pacific marine species and identifies temperature, acidification, oxygen, habitat dependence, and data gaps as important factors.
Assessing the Vulnerability of Marine Life to Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region | Jeffrey Giddens et al. | PLOS ONE | 2022 Peer-reviewed analysis ranking the climate vulnerability of Pacific marine species and examining biological sensitivity, exposure, coral dependence, and management needs.
An Appraisal of Systematic Conservation Planning for Pacific Ocean Tropical Islands Coastal Environments | Marine Conservation Researchers | Marine Policy | 2021 Reviews conservation-planning studies across tropical Pacific islands and highlights needs for better biodiversity data, connectivity, resilience, and integration of customary management.
Quantifying Climatological Ranges and Anomalies for Pacific Coral Reef Ecosystems | Jamison M. Gove et al. | PLOS ONE | April 18, 2013 Examines temperature, waves, chlorophyll, irradiance, and other environmental conditions influencing coral-reef biodiversity across 41 Pacific islands and atolls.
Coral Reef Monitoring Project | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC | n.d. Explains monitoring of coral cover, fish and invertebrate biomass, water temperature, typhoon damage, and long-term reef recovery across Palau.
